Wheel aligner



M. A. LAHR 1,782,327

WHEEL ALIGNBR Filed March l5. 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOF! Nov. 25, 1930.

ATTORNEY Nov. z5, 1930. M, A LAHR '1,782,827l

WHEEL ALIGNER Filed March l5, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR ATTORNEY raciti No.. Zena I 1,782,821

4 UNITE-D STATES PATENT OFFICE Y :MARCUS a. lLAH'R. or TLsA, Ioxrnnoillli i i 'l A 'WHEEL-ALIGNER f y `Application.filed March 15, 1929."Seria,1 No. r347,212.

This invention relates to measuring deare each provided on their under face with vvices for determining the true alignment of 'a longitudinally extending Agroove 17 in vehicle Wheels, and has for its objectto prowhich `the bar 15 has a close sliding lit. vide a measuring device. which is readily Transversely through the block and inter placed in positionV about the Wheels to be seeting the groove 17 is a deep groove `18 in aligned and which vis provided with scalesv which the graduated scale bar 19`has a close which are easily adjusted and read to detersliding lit. mine the exact position of the Wheels relative A plate 20 is secured to the bottom face of to each other. the block 16 to hold the block `on the bar 15. With these and other objects in view which Interposed between the scale 19 and the bar will appear-from the description, the invenwhich ext-ends at right angles thereto is a tion resides in all the novel features of conspacing block 21 provided on its bottom face struction and combination of parts herein with a leaf spring 22 which resiliently endisclosed and particularly pointed out inthe gages the bar 15 and holds the block-yieldingl appended claims. ly thereon and at the 'same time holds the In the drawings Fig. 1 is a top plan view scale 19 resiliently-in the block 16 so that it of the Wheel alignerv in position about the will 'remainin any position of adjustment. Wheels of a'vehicle; Fig. 2 is a side elevation A thumb screw 23 threaded into the block 16 of/the same; Fig. 3 .is a perspective View of .at-the edge of the scale 19 is provided VWith the movable scale assembly; Fig. 4 is a cen-y an 'integral ange 24 which extends under tral longitudinal section through the sliding the edge of the scale, so that when the srevv block parallel With the bar on which it slides; is turned outward it clamps the scale tightly Fig. 5 is a central transverse section through in the block. At the same time the flange 24 '25 the sliding block; and Fig. 6 is an end elevafitting into a groove 25 in spacingl block 21 75 tionot' the block. V prevents that block from sliding out of its In describing the invention, reference is place in the groove 18. The top of the block made to the accompanying drawings where- 1 16 is longitudinally7 grooved at 26 so that the in like reference numerals are used to desigtop face of the scale 1 9 is visible theregn nate like'parts in theseveral views. through. An adjustable pointer 27 provided 1 'A The frame of the wheel aligner comprises with a slotted downturned portion 28 is sea bar l() preferably-of channel iron and long cured by a screw 29 to the end of the block. enouglrto extend slightly' beyond the outer The pointer 27 extends onto. the graduations edge of the Wheels of a vehicle of standard of the scale 19 so that it is easily and accu- Width Wheel base.. and arms 11 Which are inrately read. y tegral with or rigidly secured to the ends he operation of the Wheel aligner above ofthe bar 10 and which extend from one side described is apparent. lVith the scales 19 at' right angles thereto.- These arms are sul p moved as far out as vpossible to assure clearficiently long to span a Wheel of the largest ance of the tires therebetween, the frame is 40 diameter .normally used on automobilesof placed astride the wheels'to b e measured with 90 todav. To the bottom of the frame are sethe bar 10 against the front edge of `the tire. cured. legs 12 for holdingit high enough rela- Thescale blocks 16 are moved along the bars tive to the wheels that dileren'ces in the 15 until the scales are opposite the large part distance between the front and rear of the of the tires.- Both scales on one side are then wheels may be accurately determined. Y set to the same graduation marks by sliding 95 Space/d from the top of -eaclr-arm 11 by them through the block 16 and are then locked blocks 13 and secured thereto kby screws 14 is in that position by the screws 23. `With these a guide bar 15 on which the scale blocks 16 scales contacting with one'tire the scale blocks (two on each) .q1-e secured for longitudinal at the opposite s1de areadplsted along the bar movement therealong. The sliding blocks 16 15 to the pro-per position relative to the tire 10u and the sca-les 19 are slid into contact therewith; the difference in the reading on the front and rear scale gives the amount the wheels are toed in or out. The graduations on the scale are preferably in one-sixteenth of an inch but may be any unit desired. Should the frame for some reason become distorted so the arms are no longer in parallelism the pointers 27 may be moved on the screw 29 to correct for such error, so that the readings on the scales will give the true measurements at all times on wheels ot the same diameter.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is 1. A wheel aligner comprising parallel arms, means securing said arms together. scale mounting members slidably secured to one of said arms to move longitudinally therealong, a scale slidably received in each mountingmemher for longitudinal movement therethrough at right angles to said arm, resilient means for yieldingly holding said scale mounting member in adjusted position on said arm and the scale in adjusted position in said mounting.

2. A wheel aligner comprising parallel arms, means securing said arms together, scale mounting members slidably secured to one of said arms to move longitiulinally therealong, a scale slidably received in each mounting member for longitudinal movement therethrough at right angles to said arm, resilient means for yieldingly holding said scale mounting member in adjusted position on said arm and the scale in adjusted position in said mounting. and clamping means for rigidly securing the scale in its adjusted position in said mounting member.

3. A wheel aligner lcomprising parallel arms, a tie member rigidly securing said arms together, portions of said tie member adjacent said arms being disposed at right angles thereto and in alignment with each other, scale mounting members slidably secured to one of said arms to move longitudinally therealong, a scale slidably received in each mounting member for longitudinally movement therethrough at right angles to said arm, resilient means o-r yieldingly holding said scale mounting member in adjusted position on said arm and the scale in adjusted position in said mounting.

4. A wheel aligner comprising parallel arms, a tie member to which said arms are rigidly secured, legs on the under side of said arms for holding them in a horizontal plane at a predetermined height relative to the wheels to be aligned, one arm being provided with a longitudinally extending guide, a block slidably mounted for movement along said guide, a scale secured to saidblock forlongitudinal movement at right angles to said arm in a. horizontal plane, and resilient means for yieldingly holding the block in adjusted position on said arm, and the scale in adjusted position relative to said block.

5. A Wheel aligner comprising parallel arms, a tie member to which said arms are rigidly secured, legs on the under side of said arms tor holding them in a. horizontal plane at a predetermined height relative to the wheels to be aligned, one arm being pro-vided with a longitudinally extending guide, a block slidably mounted for movement along said guide, a scale secured to said block for longitudinal movement at right angles to said arm in a horizontal plane, and resilient means for yieldinglj7 holding the block in adjusted position on said arm, and the scale in adjusted position relative to said block, said means comprising a spring interposed between .said guide and scale urging each of said membersl against said block.

G. In a wheel aligner having two substantially parallel arms adapted to span opposite wheels on a vehicle. a guide bar secured to one of said arms, a scale 'block secured to said bar for longitudinal movement therealong. a scale secured to said block for longitudinal movement at right angles to said arm, means for holding the block in adjusted positions on said bar and for holding the 'ale in adjusted positions relative to the block. a. pointer on said block with respect to which the scale is read, said pointer being adjustable relative to the block whereinv misalignment of the arms may be compensated tor.

7. In a wheel aligner having an arm` adapted to span wheels ot diti'erent dia-meters, a guide bar secured to said arm. a scale block secured to said bar for longitudinal movement therealong. a scale secured to said block for longitudinal movement at righi; angles to said arm, a spring interposed between the bar and said scale and held in said block for vieldingly holding the block in adjusted positions ou the bar and the scale in adjusted positions relative to the block.

8. In a wheel aligner having an arm adapted to span wheels of different diameters` a guide bar secured to said arm, a scale block secured to said bar for longitudinal movement therealong, a scale secured to said block for longitudinal movement at right angles to said arm, a spring interposed between the bar and said scale and held in said block for yieldingly holding the block in adjusted positions on the bar and the scale in adjusted positions relative to the block, and means for clamping the scale fixedly in said block.

9. In a wheel aligner having an arm adapted to span wheels of different diameters, a guide bar secured to said arm, a scale block secured to said bar for longitudinal movement therealong, a scale secured to said block for longitudinal movement at right angles to said arm, a spring interposed between the bar and said scale and held in said llt) block for yieldingly holding the block in adjusted positions on the bar and the scale in adjusted positions relative to the block, and a screw threaded in said block having a portion contacting with the scale for {iXedly clamping the scalethereto.

10. In a wheel aligner adapted to span Wheels of different diameters, a guide bar secured to said arm having portions spaced therefrom, a sliding block provided with a longitudinal passage through which the bar passes, the block being movable therealong, said block being also provided with a transverse passage, a scale member received therein and longitudinally adjustable therethrough at right angles to said bar, andresilient means interposed between said scale and bar for urging them i apart and into yielding contact with the opp 2 block through which they have relative4 osed faces of the respective passages ing-the movement.

11. In a wheel aligner having an arm adapted to span wheels of different diameters, a guide bar secured to said arm havlng portions spaced therefrom, a sliding block provided with a longitudinal passage through which the bar passes, the block being movable therealong, said block being also provided with a transverse passage, a. scale member received therein and longitudinally adjustable therethrough at right angles to the i said bar, a movable spacing member in the veo,

block between said bar and scale member, and a sprin secured thereto and .bearing against said ar for yieldingly holding 'said spacing member against the scale and for urging said `scale into contact with the opposite face of the passage 1n which 1t moves, and the opposite face of the passage through which the bar `has relative movement mto yielding contact with said bar, to yieldingly hold the parts in various positions of adjustment.

12. In a wheel aligner having an' arm adapted to span wheels of different diameters, a guide bar secured to said arm having portions spaced therefrom, a slidingl block provided with a longitudinal passage t rough which the bar passes, the block being movable therealong, said block being also provided with a transverse assage, a scale member received therein and) longitudinally adjustable therethrough at right angles to said b ar, and resilient means interposed between said scale and bar for urging them apart and into yielding contact with the opposed faces of the respective passages. 1n the block through which they have relative movement, and a screw in adjusted position.

13. In a wheel aligner having an arm adapted to span wheels of diferent diameters, a guide bar secured to said arm havmg portions spaced therefrom, a s ding block having I an' `V arm memberfor rigidly holding the scale provided with a longitudinal passage the block between said bar and scale member,

a spring secured thereto and bearing against said bar for yieldingly holding-said spacing member against the scale and for urging said scale into contact with the opposite face of the passage in which it moves, and the opposite face of the passage through the bar has relative movement into ielding contact with said bar, to yieldingly old the parts in various positions of adjustment, and a thumb screw in said block provided with a circular` ange engaging under said scale whereby the scale may be clamped in any adjusted'position.

14. In a wheel aligner having an arm adapted to span wheels of different diameters, a guide bar secured to said arm having portions spaced therefrom, a slidin block provi ded with a longitudinal passage t rough whichthe bar passes, the block being mov-V able therealong, said block being also provided with a transverse passage, a scale member received therein and longitudinally adjustable therethrough at right angles to the said bar, a movable spacing member in the block between said bar and scale memberta spring secured thereto and bearing against said bar for yieldingly holding said spacing member against the scale, and a thumb screw in said block provided with a flange engaging under said scale for clamping the `scale against the top of its passage, said spacing member having portions cooperating with said screw to maintain it in position in said block.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto aiiix my signature.

MARCUS A. LAI-IR. 

